Glamorgan coach Toby Radford has hailed his former West Indies batting pupil Chris Gayle following the opener’s record-breaking World Cup innings against Zimbabwe.

Gayle become the first person to score a double century in a World Cup match as batting records tumbled in West Indies’ 73-run Duckworth-Lewis victory over Zimbabwe.

In an action-packed match at the Manuka Oval in Canberra, destructive opener Gayle overcame a nervy start, including surviving a tight lbw call in the first over, to thump 10 fours and an incredible 16 sixes in a superb knock of 215 off 147 deliveries – the third highest one-day international score of all time.

The 35-year-old needed just 33 balls in his second ton as he moved into an elite club, with Gary Kirsten recording the previous highest score at cricket’s premier 50-over competition when he made 188 not out for South Africa against the United Arab Emirates in February 1996.

Gayle’s landmark innings was the first individual one-day double hundred outside of India and the fifth overall.

His effort was all the more remarkable given his recent struggles. In the 19 innings since his last hundred in June 2013 he had scored 274 runs at an average of 14.42.

Two days ago, Dave Cameron, the president of the West Indies Cricket Board, reignited a row with players by retweeting a fan’s tweet calling for Gayle to be dropped. Cameron later removed the post and tweeted an apology.

Toby Radford

Radford worked with Gayle during his time as the West Indies batting coach, a tenure which included winning the Twenty20 World Cup.

“Chris has always done this,” reflected Radford.

“He has these barren spells where he gets few runs and then suddenly explodes.

“I don’t know whether the timing of the retweets got his back up but he came out and blasted that brilliant innings.

“Sometimes with Chris you wonder whether he needs just some stoking of the fires to get the best out of him.

“Chris would not say a lot when he is challenged like that. He would generally let the bat do the talking and show what a world-class player he is.

“He is as laid back as he appears and a bit of an enigma really. Sometimes he might hide himself away in a hotel room watching television and nobody sees him. Other times he is the life and soul of the party.

“He is a good guy and someone all the players in the team look up to. They know he is capable of the type of incredible innings he produced today.”

The West Indies have battled back in the World Cup with two victories against Zimbabwe and Pakistan after their opening damaging defeat against Ireland.

“They have turned things around from the last couple of games with victories against Pakistan and Zimbabwe after losing to Ireland,” added Radford.

“They go well in big tournaments and don’t fear anyone. Once they got on a bit of a run they are pretty stromg.

“Twenty20 is their format and if anything they can be a bit too cavalier in the 50-over game and go too hard, too early.

“But if they get things right they have world-class players and could string a few wins together. So I would not bet against them.”